Lifting grapple with outside gripper for handling concrete drainage rings



A. c. CARLSON PLE Sept. 5, 1967 LIFTING GRAP WITH OUTSIDE GRIPPER FORHANDLING CONCRETE DRAINAGE RINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 23, 1964 f?T f 24 L i L .m L I,

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United States Patent LIF TING GRAPPLE WITH OUTSIDE GRIPPER FDR HANDLINGCONCRETE DRAINAGE RINGS Andrew Clifford Carlson, deceased, late ofHuntington, N.Y., by Erna L. Carlson, executrix, 9 Bluff Point Road,Northport, N.Y. 11768 Filed Nov. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 413,369 3 Claims.(Cl. 294-81) This application is related to copending application Ser.No. 413,370, now Patent No. 3,297,353, filed Nov. 23, 1964, entitledLifting Grapple With Scissors Tongs for Handling Concrete DrainageRings.

This invention pertains to lifting grapples with outside grippers forhandling cylindrical objects, and more particularly to lifting grapplesfor lifting cured and uncured concrete drainage rings.

In the manufacture of precast concrete products, such as cylindricaldrainage rings, after the concrete product has initially set, the moldis removed and the uncured or green concrete ring is then moved to astorage area or loaded onto a truck for shipment. Conventional liftinghooks or grapples used heretofore have been unsatisfactory because theyengage and support the wall of the drainage ring only at a fewlocations. Since the concrete wall, usually about four inches thick, isstill green, it does not have sufficient strength to support the weightof the suspended drainage ring, and consequently the drainage ring veryfrequentlycracks, crumbles or is otherwise damaged.

It is therefore an object of this invention to overcome theabove-mentioned difliculties.

I It is another object of the invention to provide a lifting andhandling mechanism which will engage, at a plurality of peripherallocations, the outer surfaces of the walls of an open-top cylindricalobject, with a minimum of stress or pressure being applied at any onelocation of the walls.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a lifting andhandling mechanism for cylindrical objects which is easy to attach anddetach from the object being lifted, and which can be engaged andreleased therefrom by remote control.

A still further object of the invention is to provide attachments for acrane and for a forklift truck which attachments comprise a lifting andhandling mechanism for lifting cylindrical objects, and which can becontrolled by the operator of the crane or lift-truck to engage anddisengage the load being lifted without additional personnel. To theseends, and according to one feature of the invention, a frame is providedwith a plurality of radially extending support arms, and pivoted grablevers are mounted on each of the arms. The grab levers haveloadengaging shoes provided with radially inward facing friction-paddedfaces which engage the outer surfaces of the ring Wall when in engagingposition. The shoes of the grab levers are arranged in a circle whosediameter is withinthe range of the diameter of the drainage ring to belifted.

According to another feature of one embodiment of the invention, aweight mounted at the inner end of each of the grab levers urges thelevers to pivot downwardly so as to keep the shoes thereof innon-engaging position. A hook member at the center of the grapplemechanism is fixed to and slidable with a vertically slidable postportion, on the bottom of which is fixed attached a horizontal plate.The plate is engageable with the inner end portions of the grab leversso as to simultaneously lift the weights of all of the grab levers andpivot the levers so that the shoes thereof simultaneously engage theouter surface of the cylindrical object to be lifted. Theabove-mentioned vertically slidable hook member thus serves tosimultaneously engage and disengage the grabs from the load to belifted. Another hook member, also engageable by the crane or lift-trucklifting attachment, is fixedly attached to the frame of the grappledevice onto which the grab levers are pivotally mounted. Lifting of thelatter hook member by the crane, while the first hook is allowed toslide downwardly by its own weight and that of the plate attachedthereto, serves to lift the frame and the entire lifting mechanism whilethe load-engaging grabs are released from the walls of the cylindricalload, so that the entire lifting mechanism may be raised and moved to adifferent location without the load.

According to a modification of the invention, instead of using weightsand a horizontal plate for pivoting the grab lever arms, the radial grabarms are pivoted at their inner ends to the frame and the verticallyslidable hook member has attached to the lower end of its vertical slidepost, instead of a horizontal plate, a number of control arms whichserve to lift and lower the respective pivoted grab arms in accordancewith the lifting and lowering motion of the vertically slidable hookmember.

According to another feature of the invention, the frame is constructedwith a movable lower portion and a fixed upper portion, each of saidportions being attached to one of the .afore-mentioned lifting hookmembers at the top and approximate center of the mechanism.

According to a further modification of the invention, instead of theabove-mentioned hooks, the mechanism is remotely controlled intoengaging and releasing position of the outside grabs by means of ahydraulic or pneumatic cylinder.

According to still another feature of the invention, the shoes at theextremities of the grab levers, instead of having a friction surface,are provided with an inwardly projecting toe or foot portion, and thelever is pivotable so as to engage into a slot in the vertical side wallof the drainage ring to be lifted.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages and features of theinvention, these features being set forth with particularity in theclaims annexed hereto, will be apparent from the following descriptionin conjunction with the embodiment of a lifting grapple with outsidegrabs according to the invention, illustrated by way of examples in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG.-6 is a view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a view of the inner surface of the friction shoe, partiallycut away, and of the grab lever, taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is an elevation View of another embodiment of the inventionwherein the actuating mechanism is a pneumatic cylinder;

FIG. 11 is an elevation view of a modification of the load-engaging shoeat the extremity of the grab arm of the various embodiments.

The same or functionally similar parts are designated by the samereference characters throughout the several views.

The cylindrical object 10 or 12 to be handled is shown in elevation viewin the various figures. In the examples herein disclosed it consists ofa cast concrete septic tank 12 (FIG. 10) or a drainage ring 10 having aplurality of elongated horizontal slots for drainage. The cylindricalloads to be lifted may be any diameter, for example 6, 8, or feet indiameter. The walls of the cylindrical object may be solid as shown at12 in FIG. 10 or may have spaced slotted perforations 14 (FIG. 2).

The lifting mechanism designated generally in FIGS. 1 and 2 by thenumeral comprise a star-shaped or polygonal frame having radial arms 22.Lever arms 24 are pivotally mounted at 26 to the respective radial arms22 of the frame. The lever arms 24 are provided at their outer ends witha shoe 28 having an inner face 30 to which is fastened afriction-surface material 32, such as rubber.

The frame also includes horizontal members 34 rigidly fastened betweenand supporting the radial arms 22. A centrally disposed vertical barmember 36 to which is fixed a hook 38 is laterally braced by diagonalmembers 40 to the radial arms 22, also secured to the member 36. Thevertical bar member 36 has a pair of pins 42 fastened thereto and whichproject through a slot 44 in the vertical bar portion 46 of a verticallyslidable hook member 48. The hook member 48 is vertically slidablerelative to hook member 38 from the solid line position 48 to the dottedline position 48' of FIG. 2.

At the lower end of the vertically slidable bar 46 is welded ahorizontal plate 50, which in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and2 is circular and of a diameter large enough to extend beyond respectiveweights 52 fastened to the inner end portions of the respective pivotedlevers 24 and each straddling a member 22 above it. The pivoted arms 24each have several alternative holes 26a, 26b, 260 which may be usedalternatively with respect to a pivot connection 26, so that a pin 26may be pivotally connected adjustably at any one of the three locations26a, 26b, 26c and fastened by a cotter key 27 (FIG. 3) for pivotalmovement about one of the axes 26a, 26b, 260 of the radial arm 22 of theframe.

The device of FIGS. 1-4 operates as follows. The pin 26 is placed into arespective hole 26a, 26b or 26c and fastened with the cotter key 27, theparticular pivot hole being selected so that the inner faces 32 of theshoes 28 in closed position rest on a circle having a diameter withinthe range of the outer diameter of the cylindrical load 10 or 12 to belifted. In rest position the weights 52 keep the inner ends of thelevers 24 in lowered position, and consequently the outer shoe ends 28of the levers 24 are pivoted upwardly into the position illustrated insolid lines in FIG. 2. The lifting hook (not shown) of a crane orlift-truck lifts the grapple 20 into position over the cylindrical load10 by engaging hook member 38. A closing line or closing hook inposition 54 of FIG. 2 then pulls upwardly on hook 48 until it reachesdotted line position 48'. If desired, the same hook or attachment of thecrane may be shifted from its position engaging book 38 to the position54 engaging hook 48. As hook 48 is thus lifted to the dotted lineposition 48', the bar 46 slides vertically upward relative to bar 36 andis guided by elongated slot 44 along pins 42. The upward movement of bar46 pulls with it the horizontal plate 50 up to dotted-line position 50',thus lifting simultaneously all of the weights 52 and pivoting the grablever arms 24 about their respective axes 26. The inner faces 32 of thegrab shoe 28 engage the outer surfaces of the load 10, and as the craneattachment 54 is further lifted in the direction of arrow A, the entiregrapple mechanism 20 together with its load 10 is raised and may bemoved to a desired location, the shoes 28 remaining in dotted lineload-engaging position 28. The entire mechanism 20 with its load is thenset down by the crane. The weight of the plate 50 pulls the bar 46downwardly and slides it relative to bar 36 and the fixed portion of theframe. The weights 52 pivot the grab arms 24 about their axes 26 untilthe shoes 28 disengage the outer walls of the ring 10 and move fromengaging position 28 to the non-engaging position 28 of FIG. 2. Thegrapple mechanism 20 may then be lifted by means of hook 38 and carriedto a new location.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 59 hooks 38 and 48 provided are similar tothose above-described relative to FIG. 2. However, instead of weights 52and plate 50, a different mechanism is employed for swinging the leverarms. Radially arranged grab arms 124 of this embodiment are eachpivoted at 126 at a location near their respective inner ends to one ofthe radial arms 122 of the frame. The grab lever arms 124 each have atelescopic construction with an inner portion capable of slidableadjustment within the outer sleeve of the arm 124, but which may befixed relative thereto by means of pins 128 engageable in correspondingholes of the telescopically mating portions 124 and 125 of the grab arm.As above-described in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the grab arms areprovided at their outer extremities with shoes 28- having friction facesof rubber-like material 32. A member 150, which may be either circularas is member 50 of FIGS. 1 and 2, or may be a plurality of radial arms,is welded centrally to the bottom of bar 146 of FIG. 5, and is providedwith lifting wedges 152 which engage the underside of lever 124 (or ofits portion 125) in order to control the pivoted position of the levers124 and of their respective grab shoes 28.

The device of FIGS. 59 operates as follows. As long as the verticallyslidable hook 48 is in lowered position relative to hook 38, the controlmember 150 and its control wedges 152 thereof are lowered and do notpress upwardly on the pivoted levers 124, and consequently the shoes 28are in the solid line position of FIG. 5, with the friction surfaces 32engaging the outer walls of the load 10 to be lifted. Lifting of thehook 48 to position 48' raises the pivoted levers 124 to position 124,the telescopic portions 125 pivot therewith to position 125 and shoes 28move upwardly to position 28 of FIG. 5 where they are disengaged fromthe load or circle defining the outer diameter thereof. The entiregrapple, designated in FIG. 5 by the numeral 120, may be lifted byattachment 54 engaging the hook 48. Limit stops prevent the lever arms124 from swinging too far upwardly, and thus the entire grapple 120 islifted when the hook 48 and its bar 146 and control member 150 arelifted, since the latter presses against the bottom surfaces of levers124 which come to rest in their stopped position 124'. The entiremechanism 120 is then dropped over the load, the levers 124 drop intotheir load-engaging position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 5, and theload and grapple 120 are lifted by the crane by means of hook 38 andcarried to its destination. The load is then released by the crane atta-chment 54 lifting hook 48' to position 48, which raises the shoes 28to position 28".

In the embodiment of FIG. 10, fluid-operated closing means are providedin place of the mutually slidable hooks 48, 38 in order to pivotallyoperate the grab lever arms 224. The frame in this embodiment comprisesdiagonal support members 240 to which the grab lever arms 224 arepivoted at 226.

The cylinder 90, which may be fluid-operated by pneumatic or hydraulicmeans by a valve-controlled medium entering the cylinder through a pipe92, is provided with a piston 94 reciprocable in cylinder 90 andconnected to a piston rod 96. Rod 96 has welded thereto a control plate98 which rests on the inner end portions 100, of the respective arms224. As the piston 94 is pressed downwardly by the air or hydraulicfluid entering through pipe 92, the piston rod 96 presses down controlplate 98 fastened thereto and pivots the rods 224 about their pivot axes226 so that the shoes 28 are raised upwardly in the direction of arrowB. When the piston 94 is in its uppermost position with the piston rod96 and plate withdrawn from lever ends 100, the weight of the outer endsof the levers 224 maintains the shoes 28 in the load-engaging positionas shown in FIG. 10. The entire grapple and load 12 can then be liftedby means of a crane engaging hook-eye 248 of the central lifting memberand raising it in the direction of arrow C. When the load and grapplehas reached the desired destination, air or hydraulic fluid isintroduced into pipe 92 by opening a valve (not shown) to pivot thelevers 224 so as to raise the ends thereof with shoes 28 in thedirection of arrows B. This releases the load 12, and the grapple maythen be moved to any other desired location.

In the modification of FIG. 11, instead of the shoe 28 with rubberfacing 32, a shoe 228 is provided, pivoted to the arm 224 at 230. Itshould be understood that shoe 228 may be employed in lieu of any of theabove described shoes or jaws 28 in any of the disclosed embodiments.The shoe 228 is provided with a foot portion 232 which engages into oneof the lateral openings 14 of the drainage ring 10. The upper end 234 ofthe shoe 228 forms a handle for manually pivoting the shoe 228 about itspivot 230 so as to engage and disengage the foot portion 232 from itsposition in the slot 14 of the ring 10.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art, upon a study of thisdisclosure, that this invention permits of various modifications andalterations with respect to the individual components and arrangementsdisclosed, and hence can be embodied in lifting devices other than asparticularly illustrated and described herein, without departing fromthe essential features of the invention and within the spirit and scopeof the claims annexed hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A lifting device for handling cylindrical objects, comprising agene-rally polygonal frame defining apexes and having a plurality ofradial support arms joined to said frame at respective apexes thereof, aplurality of lever arms pivotally mounted on respective ones of saidsupport arms, shoe means mounted at the radial outer ends of said leverarms for engaging an outer wall of the object to be lifted, said leverarms having counterweight means at their inner radial ends for normallyurging said outer ends upwardly, and control means for simultaneouslylifting said inner ends of said lever arms in opposition to the weightof said counter weights so as to lower the shoe means into engagingposition relative to said outer wall, said counterweight meanscomprising separate weights attached respectively to said lever arms,said Weights each having a U-shaped cross section straddling respectiveones of said support arms when the inner radial end of a correspondinglever arm is in lifted position.

2. Device according to claim 1, said control means comprising a hookvertically slidable relative to said frame, and horizontal plate meanssecured to said hook and engageable with the bottom surfaces of saidweights of each of said lever arms for simultaneously lifting saidweights, said plate means being of a diameter extending beyond each ofsaid Weights.

3. A lifting device for handling cylindrical objects, comprising agenerally polygonal frame defining apexes and having a plurality ofradial support arms joined to said frame at respective apexes thereof, aplurality of lever arms pivotally mounted on respective ones of saidsupport arms, shoe means mounted at the radial outer ends of said leverarms for engaging an outer wall of the object to be lifted, said leverarms having counterweight means at their inner radial ends for normallyurging said outer ends upwardly, and control means for simultaneouslylifting said inner ends of said lever arms in opposition to the weightof said counterweights so as to lower the shoe means into engagingposition relative to said outer wall, said control means comprising hookmeans vertically slidable relative to said frame, and a member securedto said hook means and having wedge portions engageable with said leverarms for lifting and supporting the latter when said hook means israised.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,733,084 10/1929 Schmidt 294106X 1,957,719 5/1934 Naugle 294-106 X 2,368,978 2/1945 Fink 294-162,437,485 3/ 1948 Sonnenschein 294-106 2,576,193 11/1951 Reynolds294-106 2,807,493 9/ 1957 Ryan 294 3,257,141 6/1966 Buus 294-65.5

FOREIGN PATENTS 117,634 6/1958 U.S.S.R.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

G, F. ABRAHAM, Assistant Examiner.

1. A LIFTING DEVICE FOR HANDLING CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS, COMPRISING AGENERALLY POLYGONAL FRAME DEFINING APEXES AND HAVING A PLURALITY OFRADIAL SUPPORT ARMS JOINED TO SAID FRAME AT RESPECTIVE APEXES THEREOF, APLURALITY OF LEVER ARMS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAIDSUPPORT ARMS, SHOE MEANS MOUNTED AT THE RADIAL OUTER ENDS OF SAID LEVERARMS FOR ENGAGING AN OUTER WALL OF THE OBJECT TO BE LIFTED, SAID LEVERARMS HAVING COUNTERWEIGHT MEANS AT THEIR INNER RADIAL ENDS FOR NORMALLYURGING SAID OUTER ENDS UPWARDLY, AND CONTROL MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLYLIFTING SAID INNER ENDS OF SAID LEVER ARMS IN OPPOSITION TO THE WEIGHTOF SAID COUNTER WEIGHTS SO AS TO LOWER THE SHOE MEANS INTO ENGAGINGPOSITION RELATIVE TO SAID OUT-